A sebaceous cyst is a benign, slow-growing cystic lesion. It most often arises from swollen hair follicles. Skin trauma can also induce a cyst to form. They usually develop on acne-prone areas of the face, neck, and upper trunk. Cysts can also be found on the scrotum, behind the ears, and on the scalp. The cysts contain a cheesy, yellow material, and rupturing them releases the cheesy material into the skin, producing redness, tenderness, and swelling.

The cyst can get infected. Ruptured cysts can cause skin scarring and discomfort, but they rarely develop into associated skin cancer.

Treatment

Minimal excision technique is a simple and effective method that entirely removes the cyst. A tiny cut is made in the skin, and the cyst contents are squeezed out. The cyst wall is pulled through the skin opening, which is so small that stitches aren’t necessary sometimes. If the entire cyst wall is removed, the cyst usually won’t come back.

The doctor may not be able to pull the cyst wall through the skin opening. Cysts that have been inflamed or previously ruptured may have extensive scarring around the cyst wall and be more difficult to remove. A more extensive surgical procedure may be needed if this happens.